Rolling unsym metrical flanged sections



No. 623,479. Pa'tented Apr. !8, !899.

.l. KENNEDY. V ROLLING UNSYMMETRCAL FLANGED SECTIONS.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1898.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSEIS i WW rrac JULIAN KENNEDY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING UNSYMMETRICAL FLANGED SECTIONS.

sPEcIFIeATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. sea-179, dated April 18, 1899.

Application'filed August 20, 1898. Serial No. 6S9,098. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIAN KENNEDY, of Pittsburg, in the County of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rolling Unsynmetrical Flanged Sections, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forniing part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a plant for rolling rails constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the reheating-furnace I employ, showing the arrangement of the rails therein.

My invention relates to the rolling of rails and other unsymmetrical fianged sections and is designed to improve the rolling operation of the last passes, to improve the product, and reduce the wear and strain upon the rolls.

Heretofore in the rollin g of these nnsymmetrical flanged sections on account of the unequal thickness and distribution of metal in various parts of the sections some portions of the sections became much colder than others, and hence the flow and elongation of the metal were interfered with and parts of the section reduced while at a much lower temperature than desirable for the rolling operation,while other parts were finished at too high a temperature to insure good physical character in the finished product. My invention overconies this difficulty, and it consists in partially rolling the section and then equalizing the heat in different parts thereof by placing it in a chamber and allowing the temperature of its various parts to become uniform. Heat may or may not be supplied to this chamber, as may be desirable, as a mere soaking heat will accomplish the results, the greater heat of cne part spreading to the ad.- jacent parts of the same and the other sections until all parts are of substantially the same temperature. The piece when' thus equalized is taken out of the chamber and passed through the finishing passes', reducing the section to its final shape.

In the drawings, in which I show ny inl vention as applied to the rolling of rails, 2 represents a three -high stand of rolls, in which the bloom is given five passes. It is then taken to the second stand of rolls 3, in which it receives three more passes and from which it is taken to the furnace 4, entering at one side thereof. The rails are preferably arranged in this furnace so that the head of each lies next to the base of the next, so as to allow the greater heat of the head to raise the temperature of the colder base of the one adjacent thereto. The rails are moved sidewise in this furnace and are taken out through a non-registering exit-opening in the opposite end of the other side of the furnace, the heat having become equalized in its various parts. It is then given two passes in a stand of rolls 5 and a final pass in the rolls 6, thus completing the rolling operation. The rails may be moved sidewise in the furnace by pushers 7, extending through the side walls, or by other suitable means.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, since the injury to the section and the strain upon the rolls consequent to the rollin g of the section, some parts of which are much colder than others, are avoided and a much better product obtained.

Many variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the various rolls and their passes, as well as the furnace, without departing from my invention, since I claim- 1. The method of producingunsymmetrical anged sections, consisting in rolling them at the customary high heat, continuing the operation until there is a substantial difference of tenperature between different parts thereof, equalizing the temperature of these parts at a lower heat, and then rolling the section thus equalized; substantially as described.

2. The method of rolling rails and similar sections, consisting in rolling the metal at the customary high heat, continuing the rolling until there is a substantial difference in teniperatire between the flanges or projections of different thicknesses, equalizing the tem- 2 &23,479

pel-&tute of the fianges at ;L lower temperaarranged to 'educe the equalized section;

ture and then finish 'olling; substantially as substantially as described. IO described. In testimony whe'eof I have hereunto set 3. In a plant fol' producing unsymnet-ical my hand. flanged sections, 'olls a''anged to partially JULIAN KENNEDY. reduce the metal, an equalizing-fu'nace in i \Vitnesses: which the partially-rolled sections are equal- XVALTER KENNEDY,

ized in temperature at a lower beat,- and rolls J. C. MCCORMICK, J r. 

